It's sweet to be back on NYC soil again. I loved getting out of the city, but always feel much more balanced to dig back into it again. Of course, I miss a certain Ithaca resident, but it makes visits all the more pleasant.
Last week was birthday central. I have 5 friends now who all share the same birthday (May 4), including P's sister. His mother's birthday is the following day.
I started the week with Rodney's birthday dinner, which was a lot of fun. He rented out a restaurant in Brooklyn for the occasion. The only downside was that it was the hottest day of the year thus far and the air conditioning broke. In an Italian restaurant with a fully-buzzing kitchen, that can be a challenge, but we all survived without completely melting. It was good to see some people I don't get to see on a regular basis and get all caught up.
The next day, I went up to the Adirondacks to P's sister's place, near Lake George (of course, that's when it got chilly and rainy). Luckily, there were plenty of opportunities where the sun shined long enough to get some nice hikes in. When it wasn't great outside, we had Wii Sports Resort inside, so it all worked out. His parents came up, as well, so it was a nice celebration. Toward the end of the week, we went back down to P's place and I just got back this afternoon.
Now, to catch up on the city side...
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Balance
It's been great doing some consulting lately. I've taken a few steps outside of my usual corporate box and been the lone-thinker. It's also been wonderful to help my friend take charge a bit more.
A friend of mine is a Director of Marketing for a large theater. His web developer upped and quit without notice, having gotten a full-time gig out-of-state. So, I got the "help!" phone call. It's been fun digging in and not only taking on an existing web project, but help enable my friend (and his team) to get to the point where they can start making the updates themselves. He's also starting his own marketing consulting business, so I've had the bandwidth to help out with recommendations there, as well. I got a little too excited talking about SEO than any human probably should be.
It's fun to take on new little projects once and a while and do something outside of the norm. It's been just the little break I needed.
I'm readying myself to get back out on the market again, soon, after a little traveling I have planned next week. I'm headed up to the Adirondaks (near Lake George) for a few days, expecting to return fully refreshed.
A friend of mine is a Director of Marketing for a large theater. His web developer upped and quit without notice, having gotten a full-time gig out-of-state. So, I got the "help!" phone call. It's been fun digging in and not only taking on an existing web project, but help enable my friend (and his team) to get to the point where they can start making the updates themselves. He's also starting his own marketing consulting business, so I've had the bandwidth to help out with recommendations there, as well. I got a little too excited talking about SEO than any human probably should be.
It's fun to take on new little projects once and a while and do something outside of the norm. It's been just the little break I needed.
I'm readying myself to get back out on the market again, soon, after a little traveling I have planned next week. I'm headed up to the Adirondaks (near Lake George) for a few days, expecting to return fully refreshed.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Take the Long Way Home
Okay, so my trip out west was magical (did I mention that when I got in, they also upgraded our room?). Flawless. On the way back home, the travel gods were most definitely making up for it.
I get to the airport on time (10:30). I am typically compulsive about checking flights before I leave for said airport, but completely missed it this time. When I check in for my flight, it's delayed several hours, not to leave until 3:30. Ouch.
They were able to get me on an earlier flight which was on time, to leave at 2. Hooray! Oh, except it didn't leave until almost 3:30. Not only was the incoming flight late, but they were having problems with the jet bridge, so we physically couldn't board. We left shortly before my other flight was supposed to leave (who knows what happened to them- we stole their gate).
While waiting in the airport, at least a few things were in my favor- I had time to have lunch and won cab fare in the airport casino (which, for NYC, including tip, is $60, so nothing to sneeze at). Thank goodness for a laptop, free wireless, and a Kindle when that got old, so that I didn't pour it all back in. I'm generally good about walking away, though.
I had lunch around 11am because I'd only had an orange (much earlier) for breakfast. Since I'm used to American, which has food for purchase, at least, it didn't really occur to me that I needed food before I boarded the plane (even though I usually do anyway, because it's not always food I can eat). Bad planning on my part- I just wasn't hungry, so forgot about food entirely. Jet Blue serves snacks, but not really any I can eat, though made due with some tortilla chips (could be far worse). I'd have killed for some guac, or at least a tiny tub of salsa.
Another "perk" of Jet Blue- video on the plane. My eyes were too tired to read much, and since I don't really watch TV, sometimes when a captive audience, it can be fun. When it works. It would cut in and out for hours at a time, the majority of the flight. I was able to sneak in about 45 minutes of Law & Order, but cut out in time for the reveal. Nice. I got in a quick nap at some point, so was able to read afterward (No blankets or pillows on the flight? Another 2 points for American).
I have to say, as much as I enjoyed Jet Blue when they first started flying to the west coast, I'm not really as much of a fan now. The seats are smaller (I was larger at the time, so it's not just me), the leg room is about the same as on American, no meals as even an option, small drink selection, my seat only reclined about 1/2" (which I suspect is where their "huge" amount of legroom comes from), and their highly-advertised video wasn't working. I think I'll stick with my preferred and higher-mile-granting airline from now on. Oh, and it seems this was the only airline with as many delays. Hmmm.
By the time we got to JFK, I was ready to gnaw my own arm off, since lunch had been a salad. Thank goodness when we got to the luggage carousel (nearing midnight) there was a bare bones place open where I could get something quick on which I could gnaw to hold me over until I reached civilization (around 2am).
Well, we finally made it. My gloves were too thin, though my jacket was okay. It was in the teens I'm guessing and the cab line was over an hour long- unheated (in their "nice" new terminal??). I could have sworn that the taxi line used to be heated, but that may have been another terminal or La Guardia. In any case, it should darn well be heated, especially when so long.
So, it all balanced out. /rant
I get to the airport on time (10:30). I am typically compulsive about checking flights before I leave for said airport, but completely missed it this time. When I check in for my flight, it's delayed several hours, not to leave until 3:30. Ouch.
They were able to get me on an earlier flight which was on time, to leave at 2. Hooray! Oh, except it didn't leave until almost 3:30. Not only was the incoming flight late, but they were having problems with the jet bridge, so we physically couldn't board. We left shortly before my other flight was supposed to leave (who knows what happened to them- we stole their gate).
While waiting in the airport, at least a few things were in my favor- I had time to have lunch and won cab fare in the airport casino (which, for NYC, including tip, is $60, so nothing to sneeze at). Thank goodness for a laptop, free wireless, and a Kindle when that got old, so that I didn't pour it all back in. I'm generally good about walking away, though.
I had lunch around 11am because I'd only had an orange (much earlier) for breakfast. Since I'm used to American, which has food for purchase, at least, it didn't really occur to me that I needed food before I boarded the plane (even though I usually do anyway, because it's not always food I can eat). Bad planning on my part- I just wasn't hungry, so forgot about food entirely. Jet Blue serves snacks, but not really any I can eat, though made due with some tortilla chips (could be far worse). I'd have killed for some guac, or at least a tiny tub of salsa.
Another "perk" of Jet Blue- video on the plane. My eyes were too tired to read much, and since I don't really watch TV, sometimes when a captive audience, it can be fun. When it works. It would cut in and out for hours at a time, the majority of the flight. I was able to sneak in about 45 minutes of Law & Order, but cut out in time for the reveal. Nice. I got in a quick nap at some point, so was able to read afterward (No blankets or pillows on the flight? Another 2 points for American).
I have to say, as much as I enjoyed Jet Blue when they first started flying to the west coast, I'm not really as much of a fan now. The seats are smaller (I was larger at the time, so it's not just me), the leg room is about the same as on American, no meals as even an option, small drink selection, my seat only reclined about 1/2" (which I suspect is where their "huge" amount of legroom comes from), and their highly-advertised video wasn't working. I think I'll stick with my preferred and higher-mile-granting airline from now on. Oh, and it seems this was the only airline with as many delays. Hmmm.
By the time we got to JFK, I was ready to gnaw my own arm off, since lunch had been a salad. Thank goodness when we got to the luggage carousel (nearing midnight) there was a bare bones place open where I could get something quick on which I could gnaw to hold me over until I reached civilization (around 2am).
Well, we finally made it. My gloves were too thin, though my jacket was okay. It was in the teens I'm guessing and the cab line was over an hour long- unheated (in their "nice" new terminal??). I could have sworn that the taxi line used to be heated, but that may have been another terminal or La Guardia. In any case, it should darn well be heated, especially when so long.
So, it all balanced out. /rant
Thursday, December 24, 2009
My Day Thus Far
My day thus far:
A few relatively-painless hours in the office.
Rushed home, switched coats (it was in the single digits when I left this am), tipped my super for Christmas. As I walked out of my building to hail a cab, one was pulling up to my building letting someone out. Score!
No traffic to the airport at ALL. I swear, not even a metering light. Made it in record time for a NON-holiday. Sweet!
Get my boarding pass and I was allowed to check 2 bags for free (was expecting $20 fee). Cool, no argument. Didn't pay much attention beyond that. Cool!
Go over to the huge line to actually check my bag and notice that my boarding pass says "Priority" (I guess I've been bumped up a status - thus the increased bag allowance). Just feet away was the sequestered desk for Priority... with one person ahead of me. Nice!
When I get into security line, since I'm flying coach, I head to the coach line. The woman letting us into line took one look at my boarding pass and said "Priority? You go to the First Class line over there". Awesome!
Since I'd allowed padding for each event, I was ahead of schedule. So, here I am in the airport- hanging in a seat near the charge station, early, watching a movie on Netflix on Demand and just chillin' out eating a salad. Not bad... not bad...
I can only hope the rest of my trip goes as smoothly!
A few relatively-painless hours in the office.
Rushed home, switched coats (it was in the single digits when I left this am), tipped my super for Christmas. As I walked out of my building to hail a cab, one was pulling up to my building letting someone out. Score!
No traffic to the airport at ALL. I swear, not even a metering light. Made it in record time for a NON-holiday. Sweet!
Get my boarding pass and I was allowed to check 2 bags for free (was expecting $20 fee). Cool, no argument. Didn't pay much attention beyond that. Cool!
Go over to the huge line to actually check my bag and notice that my boarding pass says "Priority" (I guess I've been bumped up a status - thus the increased bag allowance). Just feet away was the sequestered desk for Priority... with one person ahead of me. Nice!
When I get into security line, since I'm flying coach, I head to the coach line. The woman letting us into line took one look at my boarding pass and said "Priority? You go to the First Class line over there". Awesome!
Since I'd allowed padding for each event, I was ahead of schedule. So, here I am in the airport- hanging in a seat near the charge station, early, watching a movie on Netflix on Demand and just chillin' out eating a salad. Not bad... not bad...
I can only hope the rest of my trip goes as smoothly!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Rock You Like a Hurricane
Dinner at K-Pauls was nothing short of amazing. The food was much like kissing God (or perhaps a deal with the devil). The jambalaya was like nothing I've ever tasted and the bronzed chicken was unbelievably tender with perfect seasoning. The man knows his flavors. Even the biscuits brought to us fresh from his bakery were awe-inspiring.
After a very liesurely dinner, we wandered the French Quarter and made our way to the river walk. It was right at dusk and gorgeous. The weather was cooperative, too-- slightly balmy, but with a nice light breeze. I hope the photos captured even a tenth of the beauty.
After a couple hours of exploration, we stumbled into Pat O'Brien's. Mmmmmm... hurricanes. They really do pack a punch (every pun intended). They're far stronger at Pat's than at our lunch spot. By about sip #3 there was no mistaking my immediate future's sobriety.
There are twin pianos at the bar. The two women playing and singing for about the first hour we were there were incredibly talented (assessed pre-beverage, so not just a "love the one you're with" thing). It was fitting that they were singing "House of the Rising Sun" as we walked in (I think the only NOLA song they played in our presence). The two women that eventually replaced them weren't really much to write home about, but still entertaining.
We did a small bit of wandering afterward, checking out a couple more bars (there is live musc everywhere! Fantastic) and perused a few shops. All in all, a pretty great welcome to New Orleans.
We'll be headed to the first day of the festival soon. Color me happy and very much relaxed.
After a very liesurely dinner, we wandered the French Quarter and made our way to the river walk. It was right at dusk and gorgeous. The weather was cooperative, too-- slightly balmy, but with a nice light breeze. I hope the photos captured even a tenth of the beauty.
After a couple hours of exploration, we stumbled into Pat O'Brien's. Mmmmmm... hurricanes. They really do pack a punch (every pun intended). They're far stronger at Pat's than at our lunch spot. By about sip #3 there was no mistaking my immediate future's sobriety.
There are twin pianos at the bar. The two women playing and singing for about the first hour we were there were incredibly talented (assessed pre-beverage, so not just a "love the one you're with" thing). It was fitting that they were singing "House of the Rising Sun" as we walked in (I think the only NOLA song they played in our presence). The two women that eventually replaced them weren't really much to write home about, but still entertaining.
We did a small bit of wandering afterward, checking out a couple more bars (there is live musc everywhere! Fantastic) and perused a few shops. All in all, a pretty great welcome to New Orleans.
We'll be headed to the first day of the festival soon. Color me happy and very much relaxed.
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